Karnah Aug 20 (JKNS): A long-awaited central heating facility at Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Tangdar is set to provide much-needed relief to patients, attendants and healthcare workers facing the severe winter cold in Karnah Valley.
The project involves the supply, installation, testing and commissioning of a central heating system at SDH Tangdar in Kupwara district. An official tender notice for the work was issued by the Mechanical & Hospitals Division, Handwara, on 15 July 2026.
According to the e-NIT, the project has an estimated cost of ₹133.211 lakh, with a stipulated completion period of four months. The tendering process has been initiated, marking a key step towards upgrading the hospital’s winter infrastructure.
The proposed system will use a central heating arrangement, including hot-water generators, insulated piping and radiators or other heating units, to provide heating across designated areas of the hospital. The tender documents also lay down technical and safety requirements for the installation.
For Karnah, where winter temperatures can remain extremely low and cold conditions persist for long periods, the project could make a significant difference. Patients, particularly children and elderly people, along with attendants and medical staff, often face difficult conditions inside healthcare facilities during the winter months.
The heating system is therefore being viewed not simply as an infrastructure project, but as an important improvement in the delivery of healthcare services in the remote border valley.
With the tender process now underway and a four-month timeline set for completion, residents are hopeful that the facility will be operational during the coming winter. However, this will depend on the timely execution of the work, installation and final commissioning of the system.
For the people of Karnah, the project could mean a warmer and more comfortable hospital environment at a time when access to adequate healthcare becomes even more critical.
If completed as scheduled, the central heating system at SDH Tangdar could offer a significant measure of relief to thousands of people across Karnah Valley during the harsh winter months. (JKNS)
